Demented
by RatGutter
Summary: A partial documentation accompanied by narration. The story begins as the real plot. It deviates once Corvo reaches Hounds Pit.
1. Demented

Darkness. Darkness that gives rise to despair. Despair that gives rise to enmity.

Corvo's gaze follows a rat. The rat runs in his cell. _There are two plagues in Dunwall._ Corvo ponders._ The Rat Plague, and the Treason Plague._ Corvo snatches the rat. He stares at it's face.

"You'll help me, right? Little friend?" Corvo pleads.

The rat does not answer.

"What is it to you?" he shouts.

The rat silences.

Corvo slams the rat to the ground.

_Even they won't help me. This city abandoned me. _

Corvo falls asleep.

"You should eat, Corvo. This meal comes from a friend". Corvo wakes and sees an officer laying a tray of bread in his cell.

_Food. _

Corvo eats the bread.

_Food to nourish a corrupted body. Body to host a damned soul. _

Corvo finds a note underneath. It reads he was brought a key and should escape using an explosive. Corvo glances at the slammed rat.

_Didn't need you anyway._

Corvo unlocks his cell and sees a sword upon a table.

_How I missed the sensation of a sword._

Corvo caresses his newfound sword.

_ I will need one. I am not the bodyguard anymore._

A guard enters his view. Ever so smoothly, corvo draws his sword and slices the guard's neck.

_Why it's face is so surprised?_

Corvo sneaks on the second guard and it drops dead as well. He hears voices from the prisoners.

_They never helped me. The scums._

Corvo leaves the room and clears his way till he finds a pistol.

_Just what I needed._

He returns to his roommaters for the last 6 months and shoots.

_Silence._

He retraces his route to see a hated guard near a hated room. He kills the guard and enters.

_This room..._

Corvo surveys it. A chair breaks.

_They will pay for it!_

A picture is yanked and cut.

**_All of them!_**

His eye catches a phrase "ORDER SHALL PREVAIL". He grabs a corpse to the room and dips his sword in it. CHAOS in blood is written over ORDER.

_That is more likely._

He grabs the explosive and eliminates the remaining guards. A door explodes.

_Did I do that?_

Corvo runs forward. He smirks as he is chased.

_You won't miss me for long._

He dives and crawls through the sewers. A swarm of rats behind bars appears.

_We are all prisoners, aren't we?_

Corvo jumps on the cell and crawls. Two guards are consumed.

_Treacherous guards feed treacherous rats, how fitting._

Corvo swims in the sewers. Another swarm appears. He lunges at the swarm and hacks through.

"Die you traitors! **DIE!**" He screams.

Onward.

A cistern is reached. Corvo kills the rats, oblivious to their attacks. His torture was worse. When there are no more he looks around.

_It isn't so bad here. I could stay._

He decides to climb a chain. He continues, knowing he was shot only by the sound of a bolt. Corvo finds another sword. A better and more beautiful discards the note next to it but grabs the key. Soon the sword is painted red. Corvo piles the bodies on a firepit and inhales.

_Smells funny._

Corvo crosses a tunnel that exits to a boatman. The man speaks. He is named Samuel. He let Samuel take him.

_This man is a traitor. Death is his fate. Not now, though. Not now.._


	2. Dissolves and Forms

Corvo reaches solid ground. Samuel says the place is named Hounds Pit. Corvo strangles Samuel.

_Don't go anywhere._

He walks to the pub. He sneaks and notices two men, a bulky and a fragile one. Two traitors. Corvo stabs the big one and when he falls, the fragile. Corvo exits the pub and sees a technician crafting a mask. The man tells him the mask will strike fear and fit it on corvo. Corvo strikes the technician, leaving him to rot.

_Fear it stricken._

Corvo returns to the pub. He slowly sneaks upstairs and overhears a conversation. A woman says she will trust him if the admiral does.

_A shame he is dead, isn't it?_

Corvo plungs his sword through her ribs, then through her partner's astonished eyes. Corvo goes upstairs. There is an empty room, a place for him to rest. Corvo sleeps. Corvo awakens. He steps out of the door and discovers platforms in a void. He climbs a stairway to a platform and a floating man appears.

_Who is this? Not a traitor. Not a human. Worse I bet._

The man has dark eyes. He utter sentences. He brands Corvo's hand, teaches Corvo to blink and gives a heart. The heart says time here has no meaning.

_Has it ever?_

Corvo explores the newfound void. It hosts bodies, living and dead, if frozen. He comes across the dead empress. He comes across a girl. He thinks her name is Emily. She holds a letter which asks him to find her.

_Hide and seek again? All right._

Two men similar to the fragile man he has killed stand next to her.

_I will kill the whole lot of you._

Corvo blinks his way through the platforms. On one there is circle made of bone, symbols drawn on it. The floating man says it is a rune. He says runes will give Corvo supernatural powers.

_I will need powers. Reliable forces incapable of treason._

Corvo awakes in his bed. The familiar smell of cadaver in his nostrils. He walks downstairs and finds Samuel.

"Who could have known? Who would have done it? How are you here?" Samuel hopelessly asks.

"But of course, I did. I did it. I strangled you." Corvo states.

Samuel recoils. "Why, Corvo? Why?!" His voice lowering to a whisper.

"Traitors. You will wait here and you will take me to the Lord Regent when I wish and Emily will be rescued. Your life won't be spared shall you disobey."

Corvo runs from the place, leaving Samuel speechless. Corvo swims, heart his left hand and sword in the right. He swims, the water press against his skin. He overcomes them. Pushing them down before they have a chance to drown him.

_They won't have me. Not again._

At noon he realizes he circled hounds pit many times. He collected one rune. That is enough for today. He blinks to the pub, seeing Samuel sitting.

"It is time. Take me."

Samuel obeys meekly.

_A conspiracy dissolves, and another forms._


	3. Terrible Conspirator

Samuel transported Corvo to the destination. He has not realized the daymare. Moving automatically he stops at a dock.

"Wait here".

Corvo leaps from the boat and marauders. His shape disappears in the distance.

_It can't be. They're not dead. It's not Corvo. It can't be. The Royal Protector can't be mad. It's a ploy. Another of Lord Regent's assassins. _

Samuel feels his strangled neck.

_No. He would have killed me if it wasn't him. Damn him! They really did drove him to insanity. He is dangerous, with these leaps of him. I should tell someone. Yes. It would be best if he is halted. More peaceful that way. _

Samuel looks at the tower.

_But Emily.. He said we'll find Emily. Can it really work? Corvo at her side, she's empress?_

His face wanders to the waters.

_If they found what I did I'm dead. These matters are too much for me. I'll save my hide._

Samuel hears gunfire.

_Inevitable. _

Samuel's head rises at the sound of explosion. Fire erupts. Smoke billows. Not ten minutes later, the smell of burnt flesh is carried.

_He enjoys that? He wants to draw attention? What **is** he doing?!_

Gunfire is heard again and then, silence. Fear creeps to Samuel as he understands the meaning of it. After some time Samuel hears a distortion in the broadcast. It broadcasts nothing. Radio silence.

_Without the radio, there are no official messages. No order. Chaos. Until it's fixed who knows what Corvo will do? He could broadcast false orders. But he won't. He'll rather kill all the guards. He reminds me of a creature I encountered in Wrenhaven. It was night, like every other night. I rowed my humble boat transporting a slightly deranged old man who wanted me to take him to seemingly random locations. He was always glad when he returned, clutching his black case merrily. At that night he wanted me to take him someplace. It was under a bridge. Moist and reeking. He did not care. He wanted me to advance. We saw a shell. An unmoving shell underneath the bridge. When we neared it shot us acid rapidly. Corvo is like that creature. I hope I won't be shot. He's-_

A bloodied Corvo leaps to the boat.

"I know where she is."

"Is the Lord Regent dead?"

Corvo extracts a heart from a pocket.

"For the moment."

"Where's Emily?"

"He died so fast. I do not know."

Samuel sighs.

"I'll make him speak. If empress speaks to me, he can too. Let's go back to Hounds Pit. I need to think."

Obediently, Samuel oars back to the Hounds Pit.

Corvo leaps outside and goes to the pub. Samuel follows. Samuel pours a beverage.

"I need to know who made this heart. The floating man gave it so he must know. He will reveal who made the heart. I, I recall him mentioning 'shrines'. We will find a shrine and he will tell me who made this heart and he will install the Lord Regent's heart in the device."

Samuel gulps the beverage.

_He is a terrible conspirator._


	4. Swap

"What did the traitors wanted me to do?" Corvo asks.

"Eliminate the High Overseer" Samuel tiredly answers.

"Take me. I'll start looking there."

Samuel rises and walks to his boat. Corvo follows.

_The floating man can fix it. He will. The heart will reveal where Emily is. It isn't hard to find a shrine. Everyone has it._

The boat stops. Corvo blinks outside and Samuel remains in the boat.

_Are there always so many guards? And the instrumentalist? Is there a parade?_

Corvo runs to a guard and stabs him before he can respond. He sneaks and blinks to a tank of whale oil. He throws the tank at a group of guards. It explodes. An instrumentalist notices and begins to play.

_I cannot move! A traitor's trick. I'll outwit._

Corvo struggles and exits the instrumentalist's range. He climbs a building and hop from roof to roof.

_Almost.. Almost.. Yes!_

Corvo descends on the instrumentalist and assassinates. He is shot. Corvo blinks behind the shooter and stabs. Three more guards appear and they duel. Swords clash again and again. Blood pours on his arm. In a frenzy, Corvo beheads two men and dismembers a third. The shooter freeze in shock. Corvo pierces his skull.

_No shrine is seen. I must venture deeper. I'll use the empress's heart._

Corvo asks the heart and it leads him. He nears a house. He hears voices from the house. He tries to open the door. It is locked. Corvo blinks to the roof. He cross it and blink down through. He walks inside and sees an old lady. He approaches.

"Is that you, my dear husband?"

"No, milady. I am not."

"Have you seen my little birdies?"

"I have not."

"Oh my, I think I have gentlemen again. But they are neither gentle nor polite. This is the key to the door, will you take care of them dear?"

Corvo takes the key and unlocks. Within a minute the gentlemen are dead.

Corvo returns to the lady.

"Oh my brave man-"

"I seek a shrine."

"Oh dearie, you don't want that. Go upstairs, I have a birthday present for you"

Corvo goes upstairs and finds a rune. He takes it. Corvo goes downstairs and notices a door. He unlocks it. Behind it he finds a shrine.

_I had found!_

The floating man appears.

"Be careful, Corvo. They call her Granny Rags."

"I need you to replace the heart with the Lord Regent's."

"You murdered the Lord Regent? Interesting."

The heart of the Lord Regent and the heart device fly from Corvo to the floating man.

"What do you seek, I wonder. Retribution? Emily? Mindless chaos?"

_His eyes are like the void where he came. I could live in that void._

"You impress me Corvo. You shall have your wish."

The floating man enwraps the two hears in a black mist. Corvo hears the pumping of blood. A sigh of relief. A shriek.

"Make good use of it, Corvo." The floating man says as he dissipates.

Corvo presses the heart.

"**I shouldn't live like this!**"

Corvo presses the heart again.

"The Flooded District. Wretched place. Fit for a plague."

Corvo leaves the shrine and points at the old lady.

"Vera Moray. Black magic ate her mind."

Corvo flees the district, heart in his left hand, sword in his right. He kills another guard on his way.

_Traitors. They can't learn._

Corvo sees a swarm of rats rushing to the body. He hack and chase till the last rat is dead.

_Traitors too. They must die._

Corvo blinks to the boat.

"I did it. I will figure how to make him talk about Emily once we are back."

_Who is this man? Did he spawn at the sea? Did he bring me here? How strange._


	5. The Twins

Shadows cover the Hounds pit. The boat sways with the motions of the waves galleys generate. Windows of vacant rooms rattle as the wind blows. A rat nibbles a dead man's head. It is spiked by a sword.

_I want to see that traitor's head. Every day. I can mount them in my attic. Someday._

Corvo points the heart at the same head and presses.

"Farley Havelock. An insubordinate fool."

Corvo signals for Samuel to leave. Samuel rises and leaves the pub.

_Emily... How would he tell me Emily's whereabouts? I can't just ask him and I can't be in every dump in Dunwall._

Corvo looks at the two corpses beside him.

_The traitors here can have something to do with it._

Corvo points at the head again and presses.

"A power hungry thug. He thought to control the Imperial Navy. **Ha!**"

Corvo directs the heart at a fragile corpse.

"Young Pendleton could never match his older brothers."

Corvo presses again.

"Initially I had sought him and not his brothers. One is easier than two."

_The corpse has brothers. Pendleton. Interesting name. I will look it further tomorrow._

Corvo climbs to the attic, lie on his bed, closes his eyes and sleeps. Troubled pleasing dreams he has.

Corvo awakes, his stomach rumbles. He grabs a rat and swallows it whole. He descends and sees Samuel at the pub, drinking.

"Take me to the Pendleton brothers. They are involved with this."

"I can boat to the Estate District, Corvo."

Corvo nods. Samuel goes to his boat and Corvo follows.

_They live in an estate? Are they nobles? Nobles are treacherous._

Samuel rows. The sun rays reflect in the water. Samuel stops under a bridge. Corvo blinks to the street. He notices a metal armoured two legged apparatus, operated by one man.

_What if it all crumbled?_

Corvo climbs atop a pole and jumps on the man, slits his throat and jumps to the street.

_What if dunwall crumbled?_

Corvo blinks on a roof and surveys the area for the pendleton estate. Corvo glimpses a dark coated masked man. He blinks aside and the man relocates to his position. Corvo's sword clashes that of the man. He has extraordinary skill. To Corvo it does not matter. He drops dead.

_Strange man. Wearing a mask._

Corvo continues. He sees a window and slides in. Inside there is a bed, a man sleeping in it. The heart speaks.

"He hasn't mustered the courage to commit patricide."

Corvo sets the man to eternal sleep and rummage the bedroom. Finding nothing, he blinks out and look for another building.

_With these nobles, anything can be. I have no choice._

At the 5th buildingthe heart reveals an intriguing piece of information.

"Custis Pendleton. The smarter of the two, quick to grasp."

_Pendleton. It sounds familiar. I have heard the name before._

"He took the girl to a whorehouse and hid her well."

Corvo wrecks the furniture and upturns the bed. A noble is unfound. He looks through the keyhold and sees a maid. He opens the door, sneaks on her and stabs. While blinking to a balcony a guard notices him. The guard is thrown to the street, his corpse eaten within seconds.

_What did he taste like?_

Corvo retreats to Samuel.

"I know where she is. Let us go to the brothel."


	6. Masked

At the third floor of the Golden Cat, in a dirty room, sits Emily Kadlwin, the rightful Empress, holding a pencil.

_Morgan's head and the drawing is finished._

Carefully, Emily's hand traces the lines of morgan's head. It is almost like copying his brother's.

_Ears, neck, hairs-_

Emily drops the pencil as she hears a feminine scream. She hids under a nearby table and waits. Gunshots are heard. After a short while all is silent again.

_Are these the thugs from the street? Are they going to kill us?_

Emily dares not leave the table and waits. She knows she should be quiet. Quiet and wary. She hears footsteps. A door is kicked. A man calls. Emily peeks, the man is masked. He carries a bloodied sword and a heart. He looks directly at her. She crawls out.

"Who are you? Why are you wearing that mask?"

The man removes his mask. His face is the face of corvo.

"Corvo?!"

_Something in his eyes is different._

"I found you."

"They told me- Nevermind. I know a way out. There is a special door for special people. I'll show you. If anyone tries to stop us, you can fight them."

"There won't be any need to fight anyone, Emily."

Emily runs downstairs. Corvo follows. Emily runs through an alley which leads to a door.

"It's locked! Prudence, the old hag. She caught me trying to get away. Now she keeps the key with her."

"This key?" Corvo presents a golden key and unlocks the door.

"This place is on the river. So you must have come here by boat."

Emily follows Corvo. They enter a poorer district. Emily see bony circle laid on a table. She notices an old woman next to it.

"My my.. first you're here, then you're there. Now you're dragging a sweet girl across town with you." The woman says.

_Corvo knows her. Am I kidnapped again?_

Corvo continues, emily follows. She hears weepers. She hears them dying. She sees guard coming, and falling. A lot of blood is spilled.

"Is it necessary, Corvo?"

"It is. It is." He answers.

Emily runs after a disappearing-reapeparing Corvo. They face the water but corvo turns.

_Does he have friends here?  
_

Corvo approaches a thug.

"Hey, we got a new message for you from Slackjaw." Spits one.

"He wants to talk-" Says one before his throat is cut. Two more thugs run, and die.

Emily sees Corvo crosses a door.

"I will wait here, okay?"

Corvo does not reply. The door closes.

_There are rats here. Mother said they carry the plague. Mother is dead now. Killed by an assassin. Hey, is that him?_

Emily glances a dark coated masked man. He is far, at the next moment he is close. Out of the shadows, another come.

"You are the men who killed mother."

The men tie and fold emily's eyes. She does not resist.


	7. Lost and Found

Corvo stood over Slackjaw's corpse. The heart said he is a delinquent troublemaker, son of a prince. Corvo walked in the room. The heart sensed a bony object. Corvo gropes and finds a key. He pockets the key.

_Up there it lies. I can't bother to climb up there._

Corvo picks Slackjaw's gun and shoots the plank upon which the object rests. It falls. Corvo takes it and feels empowered.

_Someone should be hearing this and come. Strange._

Corvo leaves the room. He walks over a pile of dead bodies, all dismembered. Corvo looks around, pick a bottle and throws at the pile. It burns. Smiling in satisfaction he continues. When he exits the building he notices a group of sick men.

_The traitors think to fool me, huh? Ambush me._

Inspecting, he can see the men are locked in a cage. A key unlocks and a carnage follows. Corvo returns to the alley.

"I am back. Come"

Corvo takes Emily's hand and leads her to Samuel. Arriving Samuel's boat he speaks.

"Here."

"Huh?" Samuel wonders.

"The girl." Corvo geniunely replies.

"Corvo, you are carrying a rat."

Corvo drops the rat and slays it.

_I was tricked! Fooled! But.. if the rat is here, Emily is in the rat's nest! The sewers._

"I know where. Take me to a tunnel which leads to the sewers."

Samuel raises an eyebrow and complies. The boat moves swiftly in the waters. Corvo stares blankly at them. They become land. Corvo blinks to the land and heads to a tunnel. It is filled wit, grime, redder than usual. A pack of rats is brutally slashed. Their carcasses add to that of many.

_Didn't I kill them once?_

Corvo goes forward, unbothered by the cries of weepers that greet him. He assures they can cry no more. Corvo sees a squad of dark figures. He presses the heart.

"Hmmm. I know only that these are assassins."

Corvo blinks behind one and cuts his throat. He duels two more. A swift motion of his hand brings both heads down. The fourth spawns out of nowhere and attacks. Corvo blinks away, run and disarm him.

_The rat. I saw one like him._

"Tell me who sent you."

No answer is given. Corvo pushes his head to the sewage. After a minute he pushes it out.

"Tell me who sent you."

The assassin spits. His head is thrown back in for another full minute.

"Tell."

No response.

Corvo drowns the man. He searches the corpses and finds a note on one. The note has one word "Delilah".

_Delilah. She is behind this. She killed the Empress._

Corvo pockets the note. He turns back and suddenly stops.

_Could more be here?_

Corvo runs forward, slicing shadows and tearing crates along. He lingers in the tunnel for a while, lifting stones and hurling them angrily against the walls.

_Nothing._

Corvo returns to the boat.

"Delilah."

"What?"

"She is behind this."

"It's a ship."

"Take me to the ship."

"I will take you to it's owner, to the Legal Distrcit."

Corvo nods and Samuel starts to row.


	8. Clean Hands

Samuel lands at the harbour of the Legal District. Corvo blinks to the dock before the ship arrives. He walks upstairs and sees a pair of pistols on the floor. He looks around and sees too high a wall and a crate. He blinks to the crate, then up the wall. In the corner of his eyes he notices a dead woman.

_Silent. Did they got what they deserve?_

He continues to the clean street and finds a guard. Asprawl. His throat cut.

_Yes. They did._

Corvo walks forward. The murky bricks invite for a dance of the swords, but no one answers. Corvo sees another body.

_Interesting..._

Blood drops lead him to a deactivated wall of light. He crosses it. Corvo walks the streets of the Legal District. He watches a pack of rats eating a guard's corpse. Corvo picks a tank oil and throw at the pack. He raises his head and surveys.

_No one here. Dead._

Corvo walks the street. Random dead guards litter them. Solemn houses greet Corvo with silence. They serve as coffins. A couple of roofs serve as burying ground. He spends a long time searching. He has found a house whose walls were lined with "THE OUTSIDER WALKS AMONG US". He dismisses the house. Eventually he reaches an unlocked door.

_No key and no need of a key._

Corvo enters. Another lifeless street is ahead of him. After the street, scattered limbs. He picks a hand and observes it.

_A traitor's hand. Cut smoothly._

He drops the hand and moves on. Again, dead bodies of guards meet him. Their blood pours outside a mansion. Corvo looks up to the mansion and decides to enter.

_Have I been here this morning?_

The mansion seems to have been infiltrated. Glass panes are broken. Shelfs are upturned. A bloodstained stairway is climbed and Corvo sees a picture of a lady. He extract the picture and drops it. He searches the room of the mansion. In some there is a dead guard, in others there is not. All served as the infiltrator's cover.

_Quiet.. So quiet._

Corvo finds two corpses. One of an old man and one of a maid. They lie next to a fallen cabinet. Corvo presses the heart.

"Barrister Arnlod Timsh. Useful man. He siezes property for me."

He comes closer to lift it and notices a room beneath it. The room holds an altar, like the one he saw in Granny Rags house. In the altar, one dark spot is seen. Corvo lingers but the floating man does not come. He looks around and sees a room that stores a white statue of a woman. He nears it and the statue comes to life. It's mouth moves.

_I could break it. Now. _

"Who are you?" Corvo asks.

"Do **not** interrupt me! Listen! I am Delilah. You do not look for me, you look for the girl, Emily. Daud and his whalers have her. You will find them in the Commerce Building, in the Flooded District. Go!"

Corvo considers.

_She might be lying. She is probably lying. But I will go there, if only to make sure. Yes. Yes._

Corvo leaves the mansion and walks back to Samuel. Passing the same dead streets.

"To the Flooded District. Fast."

Samuel sighs and rows.


	9. Equalizer

Emily sat in the decrepit Commerce building, a place the Whalers made their base. She was looking at a body of an overseer.

_He was so exicted to find me. Smiling like he won a prize. Perhaps he did._

Emily's eyes move to a dead woman besides her.

_Lurk, wasn't it? She was nice. Her kindness killed her._

The build was vast but she knew they travel it fast.

_They hop to places like Corvo does. And they murder like he does._

She does not see any of them. She thinks it is implied she is not to leave the room lest they interfere. She recalls of the scary woman's words.

"Fortunately, I have still two cards ready to play."

_One of them lies here, beheaded. _

Emily stares blankly at a wall. At it's cracks. At the red splatters. She notices the splatter spreads upwards.

_How?-_

A lifeless assassin falls. Emily heards clashes of swords and another falls. Within a moment, Corvo is standing next to her, speaking.

"Emily, are you all right?" He asks.

"I think I am. Yes." She replies.

"Where is that Daud traitor?"

"He left... his assassins know where. Knew."

Corvo takes Emily's hand.

"Let us leave this place."

Corvo runs through the skeleton of a building to the Flooded District. The streets are silent.

_If I'm going to be an Empress, where are my subjects?_

Corvo suddenly stops. Emily sees he blinks and disappears. An overseer enters the street and is truck down by Corvo. More run in. Gunshots are heard.

_I__s this how it will be?_

Corvo takes her hand and they continue. They pass several streets until they reach the docks. Emily sees Daud in the boat, together with two whalers. Samuel is gone.

"Thanks for escorting the girl, Corvo. You saved me time."

Corvo is lifted to the air and pulled to the boat. He turns midair and manages to kill a whaler. Emily sees a bolt shot to Corvo's leg. Seemingly unaware, Corvo cut the second whaler. Daud hops to Emily and watches. Corvo murders the second whaler. His corpse falling to the sea.

"It's you and me, now. Heh." Daud smirks.

Corvo strikes him. The sword cuts air. Corvo is shot. Corvo disappears and so does Daud.

_Only one can win._

Emily hears another gunshot, then, all is covered with smoke. She can barely see the motions of two swords. Clashing. Twirling. The motions of bodies unnaturally hopping. The smoke dissipates. Emily notices Daud again. His hand closes to a fist.

_I have never seen Corvo doing that._

Emily leaps at Daud, armed only with her own courage. He toss her aside and is cut by Corvo.

"I had enough of this game. I have serious matters to attend." Daud says before disappearing.

Corvo looks around and searches for something.

"Corvo, what will we do?"

He returns with a bruised Samuel.

"We go back to the Hound Pits. We rest."


	10. The lion's lair

Corvo lies in his bed. He is tired, but not tired enough to repel the thoughts.

_Now, I have Emily. She will be the Empress. Everything is fixed._

Corvo ponders for another minute.

_But Daud lives. There can be no sovereign as long as that man lives!_

His tiredness overcoming, Corvo falls to sleep. Corvo awakes immediately. He recognizes the void. He recognizes it is more flowery. He sees Delilah.

"Corvo. I know where Daudvcan be found. Daud will come to my manor. Brigmore manor. You will be unharmed."

Corvo thinks.

"What of Emily? I can't leave her here." He asks.

"You may bring here along." She answers.

"I will come in the morning." Corvo says and reawakes.

_Where is the floating man? Is he dead?_

He sees Emily sleeping on a blanket, near his bed. He touches her head.

"We are leaving." He states.

They go downstairs and find Samuel in the pub.

"Brigmore Manor."

Samuel rises from his chair and walks to the boat. Corvo does not remember seeing rats around. He knows they should be here. Samuel rows.

_Delilah... I can't really trust her. She lives in a manor. I kill traitors who live in manors. This will be no different. I'll kill Daud, then kill her. And, perhaps the floating man will return at night? I don't know. I cannot know. I need more bony objects._

"Corvo."

Corvo notices they have arrived. He takes Emily's hand and they walk on a grassy pathway. He encounters a veiled woman.

"Delilah is waiting. Come."

She walks amongst trees. Corvo follows, holding Emily's hand. Corvo sees a hound whose skull was skinned accompanies her.

_I don't fear hounds, full skinned or skinless._

The manor is seen. It is fenced and gateless. The veiled woman turn right and enters through a hole in the fence. Corvo enters as well. Two veiled women nod to the one who leads him.

_How many are there? Not as much as overseers, I am certain._

They enter a door and Corvo grasps how ruined is this building. Corvo passes corridors and rooms. He notes the large number of paintings.

"Where is Delilah?" He asks impatiently.

"You shall see her." The veiled woman answers.

_I'd better._

Corvo passes a corrider and smells burnt flesh.

_Strange._

The veiled woman halts in a small corner of a flooded room, glowing in purple. Corvo sees a pictures of Emily and an unfinished painting. Delilah appears.

"I am glad you came this far, Corvo. It is a fortune I have you as an ally."

"Where is Daud?"

"On his way. Why don't you have a seat?"

Corvo sits and Emily does the same.

"Poor girl. Emily, yes?"

Emily confirms.

"It is a tragedy your mother died. I was fond of the Empress. With the rat plague loose and her dead, who will save us?" Delilah laments.

"Emily will be Empress, Delilah. She will."

"Of course, of course."

Delilah streaks and colours the unfinished painting. Glancing at Emily. Corvo plays with a spiked rat. Down, the room slowly darknes. Hours pass. Delilah paints her painting. Corvo hears an explosion.

"I think we have guests." Delilah dryly utters.


	11. Blind Eyes

Corvo could smell the charred wood as Daud appear. His clothes drip blood whose source is not of his body.

"You mustn't listen to her, Corvo. She wants to use the child!" Shouts Daud.

"Said the man who had murdered her mother and held her hostage."

_She may_. _I will kill her if she does._

Daud looks insecurely at Corvo. He twitches as his leg is caught in a root. He cuts it and Corvo blinks behind him, slashing his shoulder. Corvo feels that his back has been stabbed and he realizes Daud is no longer there. He sees Delilah and Daud struggling. He shot a bolt, she evades, screams and pushes him to Corvo, who, in turn, attacks him. Daud lands a series of blade strikes, whom Corvo blocks, throws a smoke grenade and disappears. Delilah blinks into another room. Corvo blinks after her.

_I can let them chase one another, flee with Emily._

Corvo jumps to the roof, after Delilah.

_Too dangerous._

Delilah signals to Corvo to approach from the right direction. He blinks to the side, runs on the roof and finds a rooted Daud. He strikes Daud's face. Daud releases himself and the roof begins to crowd with rats who attack Corvo. Corvo smashes and hacks. A small explosion obliterates the rest and attracts Corvo's attention. He notices Delilah's eyes moving rightwards before she is pulled from the roof. Daud runs and Corvo charges him. Both of them fall down, dueling in air. They fall on roots that assault Daud and sepearating Corvo. Daud releases himself again and a skeletal-headed dog jumps on him. An assassin springs from nowhere, kills the dog and smashes it's skull. Corvo lunges toward Daud, sword first. The assassin turns to block but falls dead, his neck bleeding. Delilah joins the duel and the two attack coordinately, blinking together to always outflank Daud. It seems to last forever. Corvo looks down and discovers they are right above the fence. He blinks to a lower part of the building and pushes Daud when he thrown by Delilah's scream. Daud is pierced, his bones cracking. The experineced assassin is streched dead.

_A fit end for him._

"As promised, Corvo. Daud is dead." Delilah says,

Corvo nods.

Delilah blinks down.

"Let us go back. You should escort Emily to the throne, she is the rightful Empress, isn't she?"

"Yes."

Corvo and Delilah return to the room where Emily waits. Dead veiled women pile the corners.

_Similar to the slaughter in the mansion in which Delilah's statue spoke. Same man?_

Corvo blinks up and finds Emily sitting in a chair.

"He is gone." He tells her.

"And you are free to go." Remarks Delilah.

Corvo takes Emily's hand, nods and leaves.

"She was painting me." Emily reveals to Corvo after several minutes, watching his expression.

"She must likes to paint. She is an artist."

_Although..._

Corvo loots Daud's corpse and finds a note. It reads that Delilah works to paint Emily, Daud was oblivious of her plans and soon she will look through Emily's eyes. Corvo drops the blood stained note and turns back.

"We are not done here."


	12. Life Goes

Corvo hurries back toward the room which Delilah was seen last in.

_She betrayed me! She used me! I will __**kill **__this traitor! _

He felt his hand pulled backwards, he turns and sees that Emily fell. He begins to strike the roots but sees there are none.

"Are you all right?" He asks while helping her up.

"Yes. It was nothing. Let's move."

Corvo continues. His leg crushes a grey petal. He notices the plants around him seemed less alive than they were when he left. He dismisses it and reaches the room. The room was intact except the lack of Delilah and her recent painting.

_She must have went someplace in this mansion. She can't be far outside. I saw an opening-_

"The purple lamp!" Emily shouted, interrupting his thoughts.

"Huh?"

Looking again at the room, he sees there is indeed a purple lamp which emits the purple light.

"It's useless."

"I remember hearing - I am not sure- that a man could jump into a canvas holding a purple lamp."

_Okay._

Corvo picks the lamp. He nears it to paintings but nothing happens.

"I think I saw a room with blank canvas. Try it there."

Emily runs and Corvo follows.

_The girl learns. Good._

After a few minutes Corvo sees three dead witches beneath a blank canvas. He nears the purple lamp to it and i begins to clour. It paints a garden. A vibrant garden. Paintings fly in it. The painting glows and sucks Corvo. The room changes and Corvo is in a room full of floating paintings. In the center the floating man floats above a hole.

The floating man sighs.

"You are a fool, Corvo. An utter fool." He says before he disappears.

Corvo jumps and lands on a stairway in the void, similar to the stairway he climed at his first visit in the void. He climbs it. It is grassy, not empty. A big tree is seen. In front of him, Delilah stares at the tree. Corvo observes the platform and finds several statuses of Delilah.

_Whatever these are, I'll demolish them._

Corvo blinks to Delilah and stabs her heart. He hears the statuses springing to life. He finishes them easily.

_The traitor and her puppets are dead. I need to go back._

Corvo sees a purple glow from the tree. He approches. It is not the tree that glows, but a blank canvas. It pulls him and he complies. He is in the room he was, Emily sits and watches him materializing.

"You killed her? She is really dead?"

"I did. Come."

Corvo picks Emily and blinks through a hole in the ceiling. He passes the silent entrance of the mansion, which looks even more wilted, and returns to Samuel.

"What of Daud?" Samuel asks.

"Spiked. Delilah's fate is the same. Take us to the throne, it's safe."

Corvo watches the sea as Samuel rows, oblivious to Emily's fiendish smile.


	13. A Traitor

As Dunwall Tower increased in size and become more visible, Samuel mood worsened.

_This man has done evil, can he do good one time?_

Corvo took Emily's hand.

"Wait." Samuel hastily called.

Corvo looked at him flatly.

"Leave Emily here and take her when the tower is safe."

Corvo nods, blinks and disappears in the waterlock.

Samuel and Emily remain in the boat. Samuel looks at Emily and discovers she smiles quite eerily.

_This is not the Emily we took to Brigmore manor. Has she become mad like him?_

He keeps looking at her, judging her nature.

"What is wrong, boatman?" She said bluntly.

He realizes it is indeed not the same Emily. She sits differently, she speaks differently, her gaze all knowing.

"You are not Emily." He said, terrified.

"Not Emily? Emily is what I make of Emily. You may have heard of the witch Delilah. I am her. I have taken over Emily. She is my puppet. This body is now Empress Delilah the First."

_Delilah? How could she? Who?_

Samuel cringed.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Why? Well, do you rather your empire collapsed or ruled by me?" She inquires.

Samuel quietens.

"I thought so. To answer your question, I need something of you. There is a madman who will put an end to my ambition and will cause the decimation of the Empire of Isles."

_She is correct._

"This madman possesses a great power. You heard the destruction he brought. You know very well that he is a deadly murderer." She adds.

_Yes..._

"He trusts no one. No one but me and you."

"You want me to backstab him." He guesses.

"I considered the option. It is risky. The best chance is leaving him somewhere far and isolated where he'll starve or fall to his death. You are a boatman. You'll find a place."

_Betray him to save the Empire. The only man he has trust in._

"I need you to transport me before he comes. Emily knows the way from the docks."

Samuel rows for a longe minute and lands in the dock. Emily jumps, looks at Samuel and slowly walks to the palace. Samuel rows back to the waterlock. Thinking.

_Perhaps we shouldn't have rescued him. Being tortued and caged for 6 months broke his mind._ _The lord regent was better than Delilah, the witch. Both are the lesser evil of a collapse. My loyalty blinded me. I should have stopped this in the hounds pit. Kill myself. Kill him. If only-_

Samuel hears footsteps. Corvo blinks to Samuel, holding a bloodied sword.

"It is safe." He says.

"Corvo... Emily was taken." Lies Samuel.

"What? By whom?" Corvo asks worriedly.

"A scouting galley found us. I told the guards I found her in a sewer so they won't connect me to you. They had taken the girl to a nearby island, I think I know where."

"Take me there." Demands Corvo.

Samuel nods and rows.

_May the late Empress forgive me._


	14. Haven

Waves rise and fall. They spawn at the boat whom Samuel rows. Corvo looks at them.

_In these waters the galley that had taken Emily passed. Treacherous waters._

Corvo sees a small island on the horizon.

_Finally. Now it's their death._

Corvo blinks to the island. He runs forward, unaware of Samuel rowing further and further away.

_No sign of people. No sign of guards. Rats!_

Corvo knifes a rat and eats it.

_The rats feed on corpses so there must be guards here._

Corvo searches. He blinks up to trees to gain a better view. After a long survey, he distinguishes a small hut, hidden as a tree. He runs to the hut and opens it's door. He sees a man sleeping in a bed. His knife cuts the man's throat.

_Only one. There are more._

Corvo wanders in and out of the house, he finds no one else. Corvo returns to the heart and presses the heart.

"He is wanted for thieving an overseer. He became an angler."

_Not a guard? It's the only hut in this whole island._

Corvo looks in the hut again and sees a picture of a manor.

_A painting! They could have taken her to the Void. Like Delilah._

Corvo holds the lamp and nears it to the painting. Nothing happens.

_Wrong lamp._

He overturn the bed and breaks it but finds no lamp. He shakes the dead man. No lamp on him either.

_Is it buried or lost? I'll dig._

Corvo uses his sword to heave dirt. He spots water though not a lamp.

_No. She is not in the void._

He walks back to where he had departes.

_It is the wrong island. They must have left it._

Corvo reaches the shore. Samuel is nowhere to be seen. He jumps to the waters, swim for a while and is unable to find Samuel.

_They killed him! Or kidnapped him. I will kill them!_

Corvo swims the cold waters. He ignores the bitings of fish and concentrates on finding Samuel. The island behind him grow small. The line of the horizon dims. Corvo cannot tell waters from sky. Regardless he continues to swim.

_Forward. I must swim forward. I must reach the city. Is this the right direction?_

He turns back and swim faster. He does not notice the bitings of the fish, only his route. The sun sets. Corvo swims in darkness, unsure of his route.

_I won't reach the city today. No. I need to wait for the morning._

Eventually he touches land. He recognizes it as the same island. He tracks the way to the small hut and sits lies on the floor.

_I cannot let Emily down. I can build a boat. I can find a ship. I cannot be stuck on this island. If I were stuck, I would have gone mad!_

With these thoughts, Corvo drifts to sleep.


	15. Reunion

Corvo awakens from a dreamless sleep. He sees a dead man on the floor which he had slept on. He finds himself in a hut.

_How did I get here?_

Corvo rises and inspects the hut. He can see a painted bone jutting from the floor. He picks it and it turns to be another bony object, like many he has found. He pockets it and leaves.

_I have to find Samuel again._

He runs forward. Trees brush him, grass is trodden under his feet. The running lasts untill Corvo reaches the shore. He looks around begins to swim. The dawning sun gives enough light to see the fish but Corvo's mind is set. He swims on and on, steadfastly. His head is underwater. He wonders how he breathes. He wonders where is he swimming.

_A galley! Gallies patrol. I ought to encounter a galley._

Corvo's conclusion proves to be true in another hour, as a ship is seen before him, moving with speed toward his direction. Corvo dives deeper and clutches the bow when the ship is above him. He slowly climbs it. He leaps on an overseer and assassinates. He blinks to another and beheads, the head falling to the waters. Corvo hears men running. He blinks according to the sound, cuts and kills them. His eye catch aguard descending stairs hurriedly. The guard is killed.

_I knew the patrols would come. They must take me to the city. They had to come. Though the galley is bigger than I expected._

Corvo walks back and forth. The ship moves in the same direction though no guard is aboard. The ship changes direction and patrols for long hours. The sun rises higher.

_So long. Can't it hurry?_

Corvo descends the stairs he had seen earlier. It leads to a room with many oil tanks, clocks, pipes, levers, maps and a lone startled man.

"Wh- What do you want?"

"Faster. To the palace. Now!"

The man hurries to his poistion. Corvo climbs upstairs.

_Good. I can't waste any moment._

After some time, Corvo discerns another ship. He goes downstairs and orders the man to stop. The firghtened man moves to work and the ship he is in stops and the approaching nears it.

_Death to traitors._

Corvo blinks to it's board and slaughters a guard. Instead of fighting the others he runs downstairs, picks an oil tank, blinks up and throws it. The ship catches fire. He blinks back and forth to explode three more tank oils and then he blinks to his ship and orders the man to move fast away. He watches the other ship sinking.

_Like dead fish._

He blinks to the dock before the ship stops and runs. The space is guarded again. A bullet is shot and the hand which shot it is dismemebered right after. Corvo eliminate additional guards and runs through the doors, into the palace. He sees Emily and a high overseer talking. He blinks to the back of the overseer and stabs him. Emily cries in surprise. She notices Corvo and pales. Corvo smiles.

"You... are here." She speaks astonishingly.

"I am glad you are safe. We must find Samuel."


	16. Realization

As she was carried atop roofs, Delilah, in Emily's body, contemplated.

_He is __**here.**__ Had the fisherman been that careless or Corvo that able?_

She could see the hounds pit beneath her. Surrounded by water and exposed.

_It was clever of me to ask for an immediate overseers' guard. I must have been watched by another. They would not let me be guarded by a lone overseer. I believe they follow us right now and are preparing to outflank Corvo! _

Corvo blinks to the floor and runs to the pub, Delilah running with him.

_The pub is empty. Where is the old man?_

Corvo searches in the guest rooms and the shower. After failing he climbs to his own room. Delilah trying to keep pace with him.

"Ah!" Corvo yells, looking outside the window.

Delilah looks too and finds the fisherman's body, outstretched and broken.

_Well, I did not send for it._

Corvo blinks to the body. Delilah rushes to him, she leaves the pub and sees Corvo courching.

"He is dead! Samuel is dead."

_Keep your face down. Now, let's see._

Delilah looks behind and sees three overseers playing music boxes.

_Very good._

"I will avenge your death. I will kill those traitors. I will-" Corvo stopped as he felt the overseers' influence on him.

Corvo turns to them. His gaze moved to Delilah. She was smiling fiendishly.

"**DELILAH**! You took Emily's body! You tricked me!"

_Rants of a madman. No one will trust his word._

The overseers neared, encircling Corvo and disabling his blinking.

_He won't escape. He can't._

Delilah sees Corvo running between two overseers to escape. Three more enclose him. He tries to stab one and is pushed by the music box.

_Sooner or later, he is finished._

Corvo hesitates. He moves insecurely backwards.

_What is he doing?_

Corvo jumps to the waters. He is shot by a nearby ship.

_He can't blink to it. He is dead._

To Delilah's surprise, Corvo dives. His head disppearing below the water. Delilah watches the ship harpooning and the guards shooting for 10 minutes. Corvo has not appeared.

_The sewers are flooded. That means he drowned somewhere._

Another ship approaches the dock. It is filled with guards.

"Return me to the palace." She commands.

"Of course, Empress."

Delilah walks to the board and the ship sails to the palace. She looks at the waters again.

_Eaten by the fish, perhaps?_

She puts the matter in a corner of her mind and begins to plot.

_There is a party in the Boyle mansion, their Fugue Feast. I should speak with the sisters. I should speak with every noble. Left alive._

She sees the palace. She descends the ship and walks to it. She goes to her previous room, Emily's previous room, and lies on the bed. She thinks of Corvo again.

_He must be dead now. He can't have survived this. But he should have never returned from the island. _

Delilah turns.

_I will have to accept his death. I am Empress and must stabilize my empire fast._

A knock is heard.

"Empress Emily Kaldwin?" A woman calls.

_The boring lessons. If only they knew who they teach._

"Coming!"


	17. Last Party

Corvo fastens to a boulder. He crouches and waited sliently.

_I can't let them find me. They must think I died._

A fish swims to his direction and is cut in half. Blood pours and floats upwards.

_They will think it is mine. They should leave shortly._

Corvo hears the ships, burning oil and steaming, wandering. He hears them nearing and distancing, but always in a hearing range.

_I must wait. They are too many._

Corvo hides. He notices he cannot hear the ships, waits a few minutes, and swims outside of his hiding place. He raises his head above the water and breathes the cool air of the night.

_Clean air. Breathing it is almost strange._

Corvo looks around and spots a familiar dock and a bridge.

_The Estate District._

Corvo swims and climbs to the bridge. He sees a man operating a metal appartus, identical to those he dispatched in his last visit.

_They replaced those. For no reason._

Corvo blinks to the man, cuts his throat and jums back to the street. A guard aims his pistol at him. He is stabbed and collapses. Another rushes to Corvo and collapses as well.

_Not very skilled. New?_

Corvo surveys the district.

_These streets are empty. What's that? A fence?_

Corvo blinks atop it, lowers himself and finds a gate. Corvo nears and sees a building to the right. He blinks to the the gate and discovers the building's door. He opens it and stabs the guard in front of him. He leaves the building, beheading a woman who just arrived and throws her to the room.

_The rats will enjoy them both._

Corvo detects two guards. He sneaks on one and plunge his sword through his head. The second's attack is blocked and he is killed too. Corvo climbs stairs that lead to a mansion. Two guards who stand on both sides of an alarm are slain quickly, before activating it.

_Silence._

Corvo approaches the mansion. It is guarded by one guard. The guards begins to speak. Corvo kills him, opens the mansion's door and watch for Delilah.

_How ornate. The guards won't stop me from ornating it with corpses._

Guests whisper as he passes. He spots an overseer holding a music box. He thinks to stab it but stop.

_First I should finds all guards._

He walks in the mansion and counts two overseers who hold music boxes and ten guards. He finds stairs to a lower floor. He walks them and detects a dropped oil tank. He sees the stairways led to a kitchen. The three maids in the kitchen are pierced by his sword. He goes up, put the oil tank besides him and stabs an unsuspecting overseer holding a music box.

_One down._

He picks the oil tank, runs past horrified guests and throws it at the second. He burns.

_Two. Perfect._

Corvo duels the 10 guards and kills all of them. He fails to find Delilah amongs the guests.

"Where is she?!"

Nobody answers.

Corvo lifts a man, beheads his masked head and asks again.

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

"In the balcony. Go upstairs and you'll find a path from the bedroom." A woman reveals.

Corvo murders the guests and returns to the staircase. He climbs it and kills a patrolling guard.

He reaches the bedroom, finds the path and exits to the balcony. He looks down and sees Delilah, in Emily's body, speaking to an old man. Corvo drops on Delilah and assassinates.

_The traitor is dead._

The old man picks his pistol to shot but Corvo kills him faster. Coro looks at Delilah's body, which is Emily's, dumbly.

_Now what do I do?_


End file.
